Elevator-door mechanism



March 18, 1930. A, R SENTRETER 1,751,058

ELEVATOR DOOR MECHANISM Filed Oct. 15, 1927 4 sheets-sheet 1 &

Maire]: 18, 1930:

A. J. ROSENTRETER 1,751,058

ELEVATOR DOOR MECHANISM i 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 15, 1927 INVENTOR By Allomeys,

March 18, 1930. A. J. ROSENTRETER ELEVATOR DOOR MECHANISM Filed 001:. 15, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR By Attorneys,

" vention also includes other Patented Mar. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES ALBERT J. ROSE'NTRETER, OF BOONTON, FRANK E. H'UTCHINS, OF NEW YORK, OF MAPLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO N. Y., AND ONE-HALF TO EDGAR ZABRISKIE,

ELEVATOR-DOOR MECHANISM Application filed October 15,

This invention relates to elevator equipment, and aims to provide certain improvements therein. I I

The invention is particularly directed to door closing mechanism for elevator shafts, although it is susceptible of use in other connections if desired.

It has heretofore means for closing the doors of elevator shafts automatically when released by the operator. In this type of mechanism generally the operator in opening the door stores power in some fashion which when thedoor is released automatically becomes effective to close the door, such power-storing mechanism being usually in the form of a weight or spring I being applied to each individual door. It is practically necessary to control this powerstoring mechanism by a power-absorption mechanism, such as a dash-pot,and one or more of such dashpots have been necessary for each weight or spring. Such installations are required at each elevator door on each floor of the building, so that in modern mult1- story buildings the cost of door-closing equipment has been excessively high. I

According to the present invention in its referred form I provide a mechanism in which if desiredthere is but one power-storing mechanism for the entire number of doors in a given shaft, said power-storing mechanism being preferably connected with powerabsorption mechanism, which 1s common to all the floors, in such fashion as to be operative for each door of the shaft.

The invention also includes simple and effective mechanism for electrically interlocking with the doors, whereby when any door is opened, motive poweris withheld from the elevator irrespective of the floor at which the car may bestationed, so that the latter is incapable of being moved by the operator until the door is closed. The mfeatures of improvement which will be hereinafter more fully described.

Referring il-lustratedone I I I II I I Figure 1 is a view of the complete mechabeen proposed to provide and I 1927. Serial No. 226,396.

nism for a single floor, the door being shown as closed.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, the door being shown as open.

Fig. 3 is a view, illustrating two doors of theshaft, one door being open and the other closed.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken approximately on the line 55 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 in Fig. 3, illustrating the position of the detent. I

Fig. 7 is a View of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, illustrating the parts with the operating levers disconnected. I

In the drawing let A indicate an elevator shaft, B the floor level of one of the stories of the building, G the movable door, and D a stationary door. I have shown the invention as applied to a single movable door,

although it obviously maybeappliedto multiple doors wherein two or more are movable.

The movable door C is mounted to slide upon a track or guideway E having a sliding hanger F of any approved type, the latter forming no part of the present invention.

According to the invention in its preferred form I extend throughout the entire depth ofthe elevator shaft (or such portion thereof as may be selected as a unit) what is in eflect a continuous member I G which may be variously constructed but which preferably comprises a tape formed of steel or other material which is'as nearly non-stretchable and non-expansible as possible. At the lower end of this tape is some device which exerts a downward pull upon the latter such as a spring or'a weight H. The upper end of the tapeis suspended from a device which exerts an upward pull which is preferably less than the downward pull. In the drawing I have illustrated the latter device as a lever I pivoted at J to a bracket K in the pent-house as roughly indicated at L. Upon the opposite end of the lever is hung a weight M. I have obtained good results where the weight I H weighs thirty pounds and the weight M twenty pounds in installations of approximately six or' eight floors. The lower end of the tape is preferably connected with a lever N pivoted at O to a bracket P in the well of the shaftwhich is roughly indicated at J A stop Q prevents undue downward movement of the Weight and tape.

The construction thus described affords a continuous power storing device which operates no matter where the tape is lifted, whether at the bottom floor or any intermediate floor.

According to the preferred form of the invention each of the elevator doors is so connected with the tape that it is lifted when any door is opened and when the door is released, the energy thus stored is availed of to close the door.

By reference to Figs. 1 and 2 which illusthe top floor or at trate a single door, it will be seen that the tape is connected at R with a member S which is pivoted at T to a bracket U. This member S is capable of being swung by the dooropening mechanism from the position shown in Fig. l to the position shown in Fig.2, thus lifting the tape. The pivoted member S is raised by whatever leverage system is used to open the door, such as a toggle link V which is connected to a companion link l/V which latter is in effect pivoted at X, and swung upwardly by the handle Y moved by the operator. The link V is connected with the wall of the elevator shaft, being pivoted on the same center T as the member S. By reference to Fig. 7 of the drawing it will be seen that the member S has a portion A which overhangs the link V, whereby an upward swing of the link causes a similar movement of the member S. The position of the parts when the door is open is illustrated in the lower part of Fig. 3.

It will be understood that when the element G is raised due to the opening of any particular door, all of the S on all of the floors comprising the system are also raised, this movement being idle and not aflecting the doors on any floor except that at which the car is stationed. The particular construction shown for effecting this result is hereinafter explained. In the con struction shown, wherein the pivoted members S are of considerable size, each of these total weight members adds somewhat to the tending to move the element G downwardly, and therefore must be taken into consideration in determining the relative proportions of the weights H and M. p

As thus far described the system provided by my invention acts as an automatic door closer for any floor, it being obvious that when any door is opened, power is'stored in the system which when released will close the door automatically.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a power absorption means designed to prevent slamming of the doors either on the opening movement or on the as otherwise the pivoted members I closing movement. The provision of individual dashpots is already known in the art for this purpose. According to'the present invention I preferably utilize for the entire shaft a single dashpot or other similar device for preventing slamming when opening the door and a single dashpot for preventing slamming when the door is being closed.

By preference the dashpot for preventing slamming when opening is located in the elevator well J where it is indicated by the reference letter B, the plunger C of which is connected to the lever N (preferably by a lost motion connection) so that when the weight H is lifted and the doors approach their fully open position, the plunger G is retarded in its downward travel. The retarding fluid may be airor liquid or any other form of buffer arrangement may be adopted.

7 A simliar dashpot or other device is preferably arranged in'the penthouse L, as shown at D, the plunger of which E is connected with the lever I, so that as the element G moves downwardly when the door is closed it will be checked toward the end of its movement.

In order to render the last-named dashpot effective, it will be seen that the door-opening mechanism should beconnected with the piv oted member S' during the closing movement door would be outside of the control of the dashpot D; This will be appreciated when it is borne in mind that when any individual door is opened, all of the pivoted members S and the weight H are lifted, so that when the operator releases the handle, the power thus stored operatingon the toggle member V operates to close the door. this power if not checked would slam the door to its closed position. It will also be apparent that the checking of the movement of the element G is not sufficientunless the door is checked at thejsame time.

This result is effected according to the present invention by the mechanism best shown in Figs. 3 and 7 It preferably comprises a sliding block H arranged to move on the toggle link V and compelled to move by a link I which is pivoted at J to the bas plate U. The pivoted member S is provided with a lower flange K" which is adapted to underlie the underside of the block H when the latter has moved slightly to the left.during the first part of the opening movement.

The result of this construction is that until any door is moved slightly open by. the operator the pivoted member S may rise and fall in accordance with. the movements of the element G without affecting the particular door to which it is applied. This permits all of the members S and all of the doors except that at which the elevator is stationed to remain closed. In the'case of the door which is manually opened, however, immediately after the first inch or two of travel the block But H engages above the shoulder K and remains in engagement with it during the entire period of opening of the door, and also during the entire period of closing, released its fully closed position. Hence the door in its-closing'movement cannot run ahead of the member S, but is controlled by the latter whichin turn is prevented from rapid movement by the dashpot D. The dashpot hence controls the closing movement of the door, slowing it down to such extent that slamming is avoided.

The invention includes certain other features of construction which will now be described.

In connecting the tape G to the pivoted members S the engagement should be such as will permit the rising and falling of the pivoted members without distorting the tape, and in Fig. 6 particularly I have illustrated one form of construction for accomplishing this result. As shown, I provide a pivot M which is adapted to oscillate in a bearing N formed upon the pivoted member S and to this pivot M is attached the tape G by any suitable means, such as a screw 0. It is preferable to reinforce this connection by means of a circular plate P which is clamped in place on the head Q, of the pivot M, as for instance by screws R. A cotter pin or the like S serves to maintain the pivot M in position.

The toggle link W may if desired be formed in one piece and pivoted at X, but it is desirable in some instances to disconnect the link W from the movable door C, so that the latter may be opened and closed manually without any reference to the closing mechanism. For this purpose I have constructed a two-piece link comprising the parts T and U, the latter being more or less permanently pivoted at X and the former more or less permanently pivoted at the joint V of the toggle. The two parts of the link WV are normally connected by a quickly detachable connection which does not interfere with either the pivot X or the pivot V. In the preferred construction I provide the section T with holes W W adapted to fit on pins X X of the section U (or vice versa) and in order to prevent separation I provide a pivoted catch Y having notches Z which are adapted to enter grooves in the pins X. This connection makes an effective and rigid one which at the same time is easily disengaged when it is desired to free the door from the operation of the closing mechanism.

The handle Y is according to the present invention made adjustable with relation to the link W. This may be accomplished in various ways, but I prefer the simple way shown in the drawing, wherein the handle Y is pivoted at X and bears against a block A connected to the section U of the link W by being from'it only when the door is fully closed or is brought within an inch or two of I screws or the like B The block A is provided with a series of tapped holes, one of which'is indicated at C, so spaced apart that the block may be adjusted'to various positions on the section U. This permits the handle Y to assume varying positions with relation to the link W. The handle may hence be adjusted to a position which is most desirable to the operator. Under some laws, State or municipal, provision is made that the distance from the handle to the side of the car or controlling mechanism shall not ex ceed a given number of inches, and the adjustability of the handle as thus provided permits standard equipment to conform to such laws by a simple adjustment. It is sometimes desirable that an elevator door shall be maintained in its open position temporarily without being held open by the operator, and according to the present invention I accomplish this in a simple manner by providing a lock on the wall of the elevator shaft which will engage a part of the dooropening mechanism when desired. In the preferred construction this lock is a spring lock which is best shown in Fig. 6. In the construction shown the base plate or bracket U is provided at its upper end with a lug D in which is mounted a spring-pressed latch E designed to engage a depressionF in the toggle link V when the latter'is in its extreme position illustrated in the lower part of Fig. 3. A companionlug G is preferably also provided in order that the elasticity or slack in the link V or its mounting shall not disengage the catch. It will be understood that in operation ordinarily the operator will not open the door so wide as to engage the lock, since when the door approaches its extreme wide open position it is under the control of the dashpot and requires an additional effort on the part of the operator to complete its extreme opening movement which'eifortis not ordinarily required in service openings."If, however, it is desired to maintain the door in its open condition the latter is pressed backto its extreme-position whereupon the lock operates. To disengage the lock it is necessary only to move the link V (Fig. 3) by hand a short distance'whereupon the door will close automatically.

It will be understood that the toggle V W is so constructed that it passes its center point slightly when the door is closed, a pin H entering a slot I to prevent collapse of the toggle in the opposite direction. This, of

course, locks the door against any efiort to open it'by pressure on the door itself.

According to the present invention means are provided for cutting off the power from the elevator when the door is open, orin other words, interlocking the power with the door. This may be very simply eflected according to the present invention by-positioningan electric switch L at some point in the' ele' vator shaft where it may be under the control of the movements of the element G. The simplestmethod is that shownin the drawing where the switch L is located in the elevator; well with its leads M N passing to the elevator motor. The switch may be of any suitable type, that illustrated having a switch arm 0' which is under the influence of a spring, not shown, tending normally to maintain the switch in its'open position. When all of the doors of the shaft are closed, and the element G with its connected weights depressed, the arm P of the leverN holds the switch arm O in its closed position. As soon,however, as any door is opened slightly and the element G raised, the lever arm P releasesthe switch arm 0 and the current is broken, so that it is impossible to start the elevator. By this construction a very slight opening of thedoor gives a much more extensive movement of the lever, and thus avoids the-necessity for nice adjustments of the switch which are common to other types now in use. 7

While I have shown and described the invention with reference to its preferred form, it willbe understood that the illustrated embodiment may be widely varied from without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is not necessary to the invention that the power-storing element be raised when the doors are opened, since it is sufficient if it is movable to store the power and release it, nor is it strictly essential that the power-storing element shall be the same as the power-operating element for closing the doors. Further it will be understood that a series of such devices may be used in very tall buildings if desired. It will also be understood that the power for closing the doors need not necessarily be obtained by storing the power of the operator when he opens the door. It will also be observed that the element Gneed not be a single contin uous device, .it being suflicient if the movable elements S are connected together to move as a unit. In the claims I desire that the term .element or similar term referring to G or its equivalent shall include such connections.

hat I claim is:

1'. The combination of anelevator shaft having a plurality of floors, of an elongated member'passing to the several floors, pivoted members at the several floors connected with said elongated member, and exerting a downward stressupon said elongated member, a member at the upper end of said elongated member opposing the. operation of said pivoted members, and means .forraising said pivoted members as a group when any door is opened.

2. The combination of an elevator shaft having a plurality of floors, a flexible member extending past said several floors, a piv- 7 oted member for each floor connected with is opened, means forconnecting thedoor-' opening mechanism with the pivoted memher whereby the door-opening mechanism cannot be moved in either direction Without moving said pivoted checking the movement of said pivoted member on the closing movement of said door.

3. The combination of an elevator shaft having a plurality of floors with a single door-closing mechanism, including a vertical connection and means for storing power for closing the doors upon its movement, and a toggle device on each of the doors acting to lock the doors in a closed position when closed, said toggle device when the door is open acting to move said vertical member to store the power to close the door, said power storing'means being normally disconnected from all of the doors except the one opened.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name. V ALBERT J. ROSENTRETER.

member, and means for 

